Denis Naughten (Roscommon-South Leitrim, Independent) | Oireachtas source

It does not cover day case procedures. This comes back to the point I made on health status. We should, through legislation, encourage insurers in so far as it is possible to improve the health status of patients and not use this measurement with regard to hospital bed utilisation. The difficulty I have with the response given by the Minister is this time last year I proposed a sunset clause on the hospital bed utilisation credit and the Minister assured me at the time that during 2013 he would come up with a far more effective tool with regard to health status. Here we are at the end of 2013 and he is now telling me this will happen in 2014. Health insurance premia are rising on a daily basis. Will hospital bed utilisation be taken off the statute this time next year or will we be back here at square one in 12 months time?